hes and high-heeled boots,
sitting cross-legged smoking cigars (truly manly arguments for equal
political rights). There was not a Bloomer present.

ELIZABETH CADY STANTON.

_To the Woman's Convention, held at Akron, Ohio, May 25, 1851:_

DEAR FRIENDS:--It would give me great pleasure to accept your
invitation to attend the Convention, but as circumstances forbid my
being present with you, allow me, in addressing you by letter, to
touch on those points of this great question which have, of late, much
occupied my thoughts. It is often said to us tauntingly, "Well, you
have held Conventions, you have speechified and resolved, protested
and appealed, declared and petitioned, and now, what next? Why do you
not do something?" I have as often heard the reply, "We know not what
to do."

Having for some years rehearsed to the unjust judge our grievances,
our legal and political disabilities and social wrongs, let us glance
at what we may do, at the various rights of which we may, even now,
quietly take possession. True, our right to vote we can not exercise
until our State Constitutions are remodelled; but we can petition our
legislators every session, and plead our cause before them. We can
make a manifestation by going to the polls, at each returning
election, bearing banners, with inscriptions thereon of great
sentiments handed down to us by our revolutionary fathers--such as,
"No Taxation without Representation," "No just Government can be
formed without the consent of the Governed," etc. We can refuse to pay
all taxes, and, like the English dissenters, suffer our goods to be
seized and sold, if need be. Such manifestations would appeal to a
class of minds that now take no note of our Conventions or their
proceedings; who never dream, even, that woman thinks herself
defrauded of a single right. The trades and professions are all open
to us; let us quietly enter and make ourselves, if not rich and
famous, at least independent and respectable. Many of them are quite
proper to woman, and some peculiarly so. As merchants, postmasters,
and silversmiths, teachers, preachers, and physicians, woman has
already proved herself fully competent. Who so well fitted to fill the
pulpits of our day as woman? All admit her superior to man in the
affections, high moral sentiments, and religious enthusiasm; and so
long as our popular theology and reason are at loggerheads, we have no
need of acute metaphysicians or skillful logicians i